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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Soup Countdown #8: Broadway Oyster Bar's Crawfish Bisque

January is National Soup Month, which makes sense, considering the first month of the year is typically marked with below-freezing temperatures, snow and slush. What's better than a delicious, hot bowl of soup on a chilly day? A delicious, hot bowl of soup that you don't have to make -- that's what. This January Gut Check will revisit some of our favorite hot soups to help guide your belly through this month-long soup celebration.

Mabel Suen

For an instant moment of relief from the Midwest, try a taste of the South with crawfish bisque, the house soup at Broadway Oyster Bar(736 South Broadway; 314-621-8811). The smooth and creamy consistency of the soup lightly coats the mouth with cajun flavors, providing a source of comfort during the cold season.

The bisque starts with a fresh shrimp stock, gets thickened with a roux and lightened with heavy cream. Elements of the holy trinity in cajun and creole cuisine (bell pepper and onion, at least) permeate the bisque along with traditional cajun seasonings, lending a bit of heat at the end of each bite.

Throughout the bisque swim generous chunks of crawfish meat and a sprinkling of green onions. A bite-size accompaniment of house-baked cornbread ties it all together, adding an element of sweetness to all the spice.